Keep the Children Safe
by lezonne
Summary: Their parents just want to keep them safe. Set during the Salem Witch Trials era. Historical!AU. Written for the Collect Them All Challenge card #173, the Twelve Days of Christmas Challenge part 7 number 2, the Christmas Calendar Challenge prompt #4 and the Battle of the Houses part 6 number 2.


Written for the _Collect Them All Challenge _card #173 (Lucy, lace, Historical AU), the _Twelve Days of Christmas Challenge _part 7 number 2, the _Christmas Calendar Challenge _prompt #4 (naughty or nice) and the _Battle of the Houses _part 6 number 2.

* * *

Keep the Children Safe

I've never once understood what is wrong with being a witch. But in the eyes of those around me, it's a very naughty thing indeed.

See they're posing some sort of _Salem Witch Trials_ that my mother and father tell me to stay away from. I'm not to do magic here in this land, and if I do it might cost me my life. The first burning I ever witnessed was while I was out exploring with two of my best friends. They died this poor woman up and burned her alive. I've had nightmares since.

I don't even think she was a real witch. Yet she had to die. What's wrong with the world.

Since I'm only nine, that means I have two full years before I can go to Hogwarts. It's across seas, but my parents don't want me attending any sort of American school for wizards. Since everyone is big into the witch trials right now, they won't run the risk of my death.

It's just surprising that they can afford to send so many of us so far overseas. My parents only have two children, as do Hugo's parents, but once you get past two the price really shoots up. It's expensive to send us away anyway. But they want us out of this land until the witch-burning nonsense ends. Males might be safe right now from terrible deaths, but females are killed every day. We are forbidden to do magic.

Hugo is safer than I am, or even Lily Luna. We'd both be killed, even as children, for performing any sort of magic. Non-magic folk are really crazy. I don't know why we don't just escape to the magical side of this town and get away from the madness.

Father says there are too many people living in the magical half of this town right now. They've stopped accepting people to enter in over there. It's kind of sad. We just want to be safe.

"I bet my sister does magic all the time at Hogwarts," Hugo says one day as we walk. We take the same path all of the time, wandering about looking for something to do since we're prohibited from using magic. Lily Luna walks on his other side, fiddling with her hair. She's always had that nervous habit.

"That's why she cannot come back," I say, kicking a stone as we walk. "She shall stay in London like every other child who goes there. She shall live with Grandma and Grandpa. But our siblings will not return. Our parents fear far too much for their lives."

"Hush you two," Lily says, eyeing us. "You shant be the reason I am caught! Keep your voices down and do stop talking like that out in the open. We do not want to burn too."

"She ist right," I hiss, elbowing Hugo before he can say something more. "We should fear speaking of such things. Our parents would be most unhappy if they knew we were. It tis a danger to us all. Our whole family might die if they hear us."

"I know," he sighs as we walk. "I just miss Rose a lot."

"I miss Molly," I agree, looking towards the sky. "I cannot see her for many moons."

"None of us can," Lily pointed out. "I miss Albus and James, but there tis nothing we can do. We can only wait, wait and waste our time until we can leave here, or the burnings cease. Until then, it tis not safe to speak of such things."

"Yes," Hugo replies, nodding. "If only we could turn eleven sooner, then we could leave."

"I just wish we could take our parents with," I sigh, fiddling with the ratty lace my dress. No matter the outcome, we cannot seem to win in this situation. We'll either miss our siblings, or our parents.

Why can't the non-magic folk just be understanding that we are different? Some of us are dangerous, but not all of us.

* * *

"Roxanne, come on!" I cry, grabbing my friends hand as we run. Lily Luna's father gave us a port-key to escape this madness, but we have to get out of the town first.

They burned Hugo's mother today for being a bitch. Our parents sent us away only minutes after the event. We're rushing through the trees trying to get as far from the village as possible. Hugo keeps crying, but we can't let him stop. Our parents told us to get as far away from this land as possible.

The port-key will take us up to Manhattan. There, Uncle Bill and his daughter Victoire will take us to England. Then Uncle Bill and his wife will come back to get our parents out of here, but by then all the children will be out of harm's way. That's what the adults want first and foremost.

Why didn't they get us out earlier? Why did they wait for Aunt Hermione to die first before acting?

"Hugo, keep going!" Roxanne says, letting go of my hand to rush to his side, where he has stopped against a tree. Behind us I can see a few torches in the light, where the villagers are looking for us. I hope the rest of our parents are alright.

"My mother…"

"Hugo we have to go," I press, tugging on his other arm. "Your mother would want you to get out without being hurt! We must get to Manhattan with Victoire and Uncle Bill! We have to so they can come back and help the rest of our parents."

"You think they will?"

"Yes!" the three of us cry together. A moment later Roxanne and I are able to drag Hugo from the tree, towing his sagging body along as we run. He's truly crushed by his mother's demise, but what son wouldn't be? We reach a clearing a few moments later just as the villagers notice us again.

"How do port-keys work?" Roxanne asks as she pulls our out. Immediately it begins to work.

"We have to hold on!" I cry, reaching forward, and everyone copies me. "Hold onto someone else with your free hand and don't let go! We'll get lost!"

I have never in my life used a port-key before, but I've seen my parents use one. The feeling is rather terrifying, behind whipped through the air like that. I'm trying desperately to remember when to let go. Uncle Ron's hurried, tearful instructions are a bit blurry now.

"I think it tis time to let go!" Roxanne calls out a few minutes later.

"How does thou know?" I ask, looking her way through the whirlwind. She shrugs.

"I have a feeling! Come on, let go with me!"

Before anyone can protest she lets go of the port-key and the rest of us are forced to follow lest we want out arms ripped from their sockets. The landing is rough, and knocks the air right out of me. I truly wish we had a bit of practice first.

When I am finally able to lift my head I realize someone is standing nearby. On closer inspection I recognize the woman from the photos we've received- Victoire. I do not know how we did it, but we actually found them without any idea where we were going.

She helps me stand, and soon enough Lily Luna and Roxanne join us. Hugo is the only one who remains on the ground, Uncle Bill crouching over him, his sobs echoing off the nearby walls. We landed between buildings. How we did not die on the way down I will never know.

Through his tears I can hear one thing loud and clear, a prominent concern in all of our heads.

"Go get our parents," he sobs, "Go get our parents before another dies."

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**A/n:** Not the cheeriest story I've ever written but here it is. I'm not that great with Next-Gen or Historical AU stories either. But I gave it my best shot. Feedback would be majorly appreciated!


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